Assig



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

L. H. NASH.

IGNITOR FOR GAS ENGINES.

Patented Dec. 31

AH DREW B.GRN1AM PMOTO-LITHQWASHINGTDN, DBv

(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 2.

L.H.NASH., IGNITOR FOR GAS ENGINES;

No. 418,419 Patented 1180'. 81, 1889.

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AN BREW EGKAHAM. PHUTOUTHQWASIHNGTUKPQ NO'MOa'eL 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. L. H. NASH IGNITOR FOR GAS ENGINES.

$10,418,419. Patented De a. 31, 1889.

7 u Jr I Z--.-- 7C 1 (No-Model.) V 4 sheets-sheet 4 'IGNITOR. Poix GAS EN'GINES.

No. 418,419. 1 PatentedDec. 31 88888 9.

' tains to-make and use the same.

' ing the valve closed. Fig. 6 is a horizontal secignition-chamber; and Fig. 9, Sheet 1, shows .stitu'ting improvements in ignitors for gas panying drawings, in which are illustrated a l UNITED STATES LEwIs nAilnooK NASH, or son'rn noEwALK, ooNnEoTIoUn n'ssrenoa'ro THE NATIONAL METER COMPANY, or NEwvoEK. N.

glomvou FOR: GAS-ENGlNi-ZS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Batent' No. 418,419, dated December e1, 1859..

-.Appl.ication filed June 29, 1388'.

To all. whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, LEWIs HALLOCK NASH, a citizen of the. United States, residing at South Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and'useful Improvements in Ignitors for Gas-Engines and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper- My present invention. consists of certain novel parts and combinations of parts conengiues' and their attendant devices.

The-specific points of, novelty wiltbe desig natcdin the claims concluding this specifica:

' The followingis-a description of the accom-.

gas-engine having applied thereto an ignitor device, showing one form in which my several present improvements in combination may be embodied in operative and efiective form.

Figure 1 illustrates a gas-engine in elevathereto. Fig. 2 is a top viewof' the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of said engine. Fig.4c represents my improved ignitor device in vertical central section enlarged and taken at right angles to the section inFig. 3, showing the valve open. Fig. 5 is asimilar view show tion taken on the line Z of Fig. 4, showing the communication of the ignition-chamber with the passage leading to the engine-cylinder. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectiontaken on the line W of Fig. 4, showing the supply-passage for the permanentlighter-chamber. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line V of Fig. 4, showing the enlarged open end of the the valved communication of the pipe which also forms the storage-reservoir E for the permanent lighter-chamber.

h is a combined slide and puppet valve for controlling the ports of the ignitor device arranged to operate within a chamber 1) offa case 01..v Said chamber opens at c at its top, and the permanent lighter device dis incommunication with the ignitor-chamber when de'r through the passage e.

Serial Ila- 278,510. (no mdehl the valve isv in the position illustratedin Fig.-

A; but is isolated therefrom when theivalve' is end of the valvehas, a conical bearinghi, and 1 thewall of the valve-chamber at its top 'open'-. ing has corresponding seat-forming-surface 0., with which the valvev makes contact when closed, as shown in Fig.5. The valve-cha n ber opens into'a-top passage 1 of-"the case, through-which the-waste prodnctsescape to a pipe leading away from the engine, so that there is no smell from the engine. The valvechamber communicates with the power-cylinv (Shown in Figs. 3 and 6.) This passage is closedby the valve hwhenin-the position illustrated in Fig. 42,.

and is open when the valve is in the position s'hown'in Fig. 5. By this construction the puppet-valve has the function of a plunger valve and without sliding friction, since at the time the valve is closing the passage -to the cylinder the pressure therein is low, and the gases that may leak by'said valve will be So from the charge andlinay be utilized as aportion of the supply for the ignition-chamber,

as I will presently state. When the valve closes'npon its seat 0', a perfect joint is effected at the moment of the ignition of the charge through the passage e, and the pressme within the valve-chamber below the valve .inder, whereby the ignition-chamber is supplied with a stream of'combustible mixture fromthe charge directed with a whirling motion into said chamber. A screw-plug f controls the flow into this passage as may be 00 desired. .Into the passage b the gases that leakpast the valve willv collect and pass into I the ignition-chamber, for the purpose stated.

In order that the ignition-chamber may intersect the valve-chamber without sharp corners, I have shown a recess or groove b pa-rtia y around such intersection, sons to give an easy passage for the gases and flame into and from the ignition-cha1nber,'as seen in Figs. 4 and 8. At the base of the valveseat 0, I have shown an annular groove If, for collecting particles of dirt and dust that may come into the chamber with the gas.

I have shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 7 one form of device capable of sustaining a torch-flame or permanent lighter, and I prefer to uses. portion of the charge as a means for maintaining such lighter, and while I prefer to use a whirling jet for such supply as being a re liable form of torch-jet, yet my invention of course is not confined to the vparticulars of construction of the device shown.

I will now describe the construction of the permanent lighter illustrated in the drawings,

d is the lighter-chamber, closed at its top by a removable or pivoted cap d and open at its lower end in all portions of the valve h. -Within this chamber a fiame constantly burns. This chamber is intersected by a pas sage (1, through which the gaseous mixture is supplied and directed into the chamber 0?, preferably in a whirling flame, the waste pro{ ducts passingout through the valve-seat port 0, as shown by the arrows. As a means of main taining a constant supply of gas under press ure for this inclosed lighter or torch flame, I have shown a reseryoir E, Fig. 1, whichhas a valved communication with a compression chamber or reservoir which supplies the en gine. The device is shown as applied toan engine of the type described and claimed in applications filed by me OctoberG, 1886, under Serial Nos. 215,419 and-215,420, in which the compression-chamber is in free communt;

cation with the gas-supplying reservoir. The pressure in the latter .is therefore intermit tent. The supplemental reservoir provided vii'ith the check-valve 9?, Fig. 9, has the funct on of supplying thepermanent lighterwith a supply of gas under approximately uniform pressure. The relation of the valve-chamber, the ignition-chamber, and the torch-flame chamber is such as to ignite the charge with ab;- solute certainty and prevent the entrance of dust to the valves and the escape of bad odors from the engine.

' .v-The fellowin g is the operation of the ignitordevice described: The valve it being in the position shown in Fig. 4, the gases will flow through the passage 1) into and through the ignitionmhamber with a spiral or whirling motion and are ignited by the permanent flame in the lighter 01. They rem ain'burning in the ignitor-chamber while the valve is move ing to the position shown in Fig. 5. The gases from the cylinder-charge will then flow into 'the valve-chamber below the valve, and, re-

enforcing the flow inthe passage 1), pass with it into the ignition-chamber, whirling and .burningtherein until the valve seats itself, when the flame will flash back to the charge in the cylinder through the port e, igniting the charge. For this purpose the port-'e is in direct communication with the combustion-cylin dcr. The valve 15 controls the admission of the charge to the power-cylinder. It is of the puppet form, to form a perfect jointand sustain the back-pressure from the cylinder.

When such form ofvalve is used, the gas-sup ply pipe M will enter a chamber N below the valve-seat, while the upper end of said seat will open into the passage g, which communicates with the combustion-chamber.

In Fig. 3 Ihave shown the operating conthe engine shown andthe 'compressor'thera' for, which are more fully described in my said applications, it will be understood, referring.

to Fig. 3, that the forward end of thefpbweia' cylinder opensinto a casing G of the frame, which forms the co mpression supply-chamber F for the engine of which the piston isthe coin pressor. Suitable-provision is made forsupf plying this 'reservo'ir with a mixture ot gas and air, which is supplied to-the engine-valve by a pipe M, which opens into thejreservoir and into a. chamber N' below the valveyas,

shown by dotted lines in Fig.1; 1 The pipeE also opens into this reservoirandleads to the passage d,-Fig. 7, which supplies the permanent lighter; Now, as the supply for thepermanent lighter must be c0nstant,-and :asthe" operation of the piston in the engine shown pubjects the gases in the reservoir repressure and suction alternately, itis obvious that such a condition could not -g-ive -affconstant supply of gas to the ,ignitoni Therefore I? have showh a supplemental reservoir (the pipe E) provided with the valve e placed therein, so that the action'of thecompressor fills the pipeZE, while'the valve therein closes by the sucking action of the compressor. In this way the reservoir for the ignitor is supplied by the operation of the engine, so as to insure acons tant supply to the ignitor.

The use of the permanent lighter'shown is not dependent upon using the engine-piston as the compressor, as I may use an independent compressor forsupplying both the engine andjthe ignitor.

.The supply for the permanent lighter is illustrated in the drawings entering the passage d and impinging upon one side of the cylindrical wall of the inclosed chamber 01. It is caused thereby to, rotate therein, passing out its open end into the valve-chamber, while the supply for the ignition-chamber is also shown as entering tangentially and caused thereby to rotate therein, passing out its open end into the valve-chamber, so that the flow of gases from both the ignition and the lighting'chambers meet in whirling currents of, similar directionor otherwise-within the valve-chamber at theltime the-latter is open.

" An important feature of -myinvention re! sides in the permanent-lighter device; I have described and. shown an efficient means for maintaining a permanent whirling or eddying flame; but. other equivalent "means may of course be substituted for that shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention;

Among vthe advantages of a permanent lighter such as described, which isone of" the prominent features of my present invention, it will be seen that dust and dirt may thus be excluded from the working parts, that the combustible miture may .be burned in a closed chamberwithout the addition of at- 'mospheric air, and that it may be supplied under a pressure great enough to prevent'the flame being extinguish-ed bydrafts,and that it is more permanent and reliable than ordi nary lighters. Besides, such .lighteris' almost absolutely free from objectionable odors. 1

'1, Having'described, in connection with the accompanying drawings, an engine embodying in substance all the features of my pres- ,ent inventionin Operation and in the'preferred'form and in combination, I will'now proceed to specifically designate-the novel features which Idesire' to protect by these ,L'etters-Patent; Before doing so 11 desire,

however, to remark that my'invent'i'on is not limited to the precise devices and combinations of devices shown and desc'ribed, since many modifications? may be madeWit-hout departing from either the spirit or scope of my invention, and my several improvements'may be used separately as well as in combination.

I 'claim- 1. In a permanentlighter. for gas-engines,- a suitable device, substantially as described andshown, by means of which a permanent whirling flame for igniting the combustible charge is produced. v v 2. Ina gas-engine, a suitable device, substantially as described and shown, by means of which a permanent whirling flame for igniting the 'combustible charge is produced,

combined with a chamber'inclosing "said flame.- p

3. In a gas-engine, a'compresslon-chamber,

areservoir constantly in free communication I therewith, and a reservoir in valved COTIIIIlll-- nication therewith, combined with a lighter supplied from the comb-ustiblecharge contained insaid valved reservoir,"substantially as described.

. 4.111 an ignitor device, the combination of a valve-chamber with a communicating ignition-chamber having an inolincdrelation tosaid valve-chamber, and a.puppet-valve controlling the communication of said ignitionchamber with a permanent lighter and with the cylindercharge, substantially as described.

5. Inan ignitor, device, the combination of a valve chamber, .and all ignition-chamber with a suitable device, substantially as describedfby means otwhich a permanent" whirling flame'for igniting the combustible charge is maintainedwithin said ignitionchamber, said ignition-chamber being formed inthecasing opening into the side of said valve-chamber, with a puppet-valve controlling the supply andexhaust ports of the valve-chamber and thesaid ignition-chamber.

'6 The combination, in an ignitor device for gas-engines of a val-ve chamber with an ignition-chamber formed in the valve-casing opening intosaid valve-chamber and having one ormore circumferential grooves,and a valve controlling the. supply and exhaust ports of both chambers, substantially as de scribed. I v

7:.-=In an ignitor device for gas-engines, the

combination, with avalve for operating said device, of a valve-casing havin'g a valve chamber open at one end, a[ permanent- -lighte'r chamber open at one end, and an; ignition-chamber open at one end,-:the said: chambers intersecting, substantially as ;de-. scribed, for the purposef'sp'ecifie'd.

8. ln conibinatiomjin.v an ignitor device for gas-engines, a valvecasing having a valve-' j chamber open atitsupper end, an ignition chamber opening into said valve-chamber atits side and a pei manent-lighter chamber opening into theltop of said valve-chamber,

and avalv'e adapted to operate to close said valve and ignition chambers, substantially as described.

9; In an ignitor device-tor gasengines a chamber containing 'a combustible charge, a

suitable device,substantially as shown,-by

periodically op'eni 11g communication betweenthe chamber containing the intermittent lighter, thechamber containing the permanent lighter, and the charge. 1

10. In an ignitor device forges-engines, a

valve-containing casing having a permanentlighter chamber opening into the valve-chamher and --having a tangential passage communicating with a'sourceof supply, substantially as described,=for the purpose specified.

11. In an ignition device for gas-engines,a

chamber containing avalve-containing casng havin g an ignition-chamber provided with a tangentialpassage leading. into the cylin der supplYpassage, and a permanent-lighter chamber-having. a, tangential passage lead ing toa constant source of supply, substantiallyas described. f

12, In an ignitor device for gas-engines, a

valve-containing casing having three inter-j .secting chambers b, b,and d, the chambers 12 and (Z opening into the chamberb, combined with a valve adapted to control the chambers b and b and the passage e, as herein set forth. 13. In an ignitor device for gas-engines, a valve-containing casing having three intersecting chambers b, b, and d, the chamber 1) opening into the side of the chamber 1), and the case part forming the chamber d extending into the open end of thechaniber 6, combined with a valve adapted to telescope with the said chamber forming case part d in closing the chambers b and cl, substantially as described, for the purpose specified,

' 14. In an ignitor device for gas-engines, a valve-containing casing having three intersecting chambers-a valve-chamber, an ignition-chamber, and a permanent-lighterchamber-the chamber 61 having a tangential supply-passage d, and the chamber 1) having a tangential side opening intersecting a semicircular passage I)", having a tangential branch leading to the cylinder supply-passage, as herein set forth. I

15. In an ignitor device for gas-engines, a' valve-containing casing having three interseating chambers. an inclosed permanentlighter chamber provided with a passage adapted to direct the supply of gas and flame in a whirling course therein, an ignition-chainher having a passage adapted to direct the supply of gas and flame therein in a whirling direction, and a valve-chamber within which the whirling flame-currents meet, combined with a valve for operating the ignitor, substantially as described.

16. In an ignition device for gas-engines, a permanent-lighter device consisting of a hollow cylinder having a tangential supplypassage and opening into the valve-chamber, whereby under the pressure of the inflow of gas the flame is projected from said pe'rmancnt lighter as the means of lighting the charge, substantially as described.

17. In an ignitor device for gas-engines, a valve-containing casing having an ignitionchamber in perpetual communifiation with the supply-passage for the engine, in combination with a case part forming an inclosed permanent-lighter chamber having a constant supply entering said chamber tangentially, substantially as described.

18. In an ignitor device for gas-engines, a valve-containing casing having an ignitionchamber intersecting the valve-chamber at an angle at one side of the latter and having the angle of such junction recessed or cut away, for the purpose stated.

19. In an ignitor device for gas-engines, the valve-casing having the valve-chamber b, openinginto a top exhaust-passage 01?, an ignition-chamber 5, opening into the side of the valve-chamber, and having a hollow cylinder depending from the top of the casing into the said valve-chamber and having suitable supply-passages for said chambers, in combination with a valve adapted to operate the ports of said chambers, substantially as described.

20. In an ignitor device for gas-engines, a permanent lighter consisting of a hollow cylinder having a tangential supply-passage, said cylinder arranged to open into the valvechamber which is in communication with the outer air, substantially as described.

21. The combination, in an ignitor device for gas*e11gines, of a compressor for the gaseous mixture and a reservoir in valved com-- munication therewith, with a valve-containing casing having an ignition-chamber and a permanent lighter chamber which is in communication with said. reservoir, substantially as described.

22. A permanent ignitor for gas-engines, consisting of an inclosed chamber having a tangential inlet and a lightii'ig-passage closed by a removable cap,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS HALLOCK NASH. Witnesses:

J o. H. NoRRIs, PERCY MncOALLUM. 

